A remixed story of Romeo and Juliet is coming to South London.
Forced apart by generations of hatred, young eyes meet on a south London dance floor on a fateful night that will change their lives forever.it is Romeo and Julietbut you’ve never heard of it before.
This hip-hop remake of Shakespeare’s most famous story opens at Broadway’s Polka Theater in Wimbledon and runs until April 24.
On the court at Wimbledon, Romeo and Julietwill collaborate with Conrad Murray and Lakeisha Lynch-Stevens of hip-hop troupe Beats and Elements to retell the story through rap, rhythm and harmonies.
Mr Murray said: “It was fantastic to produce this show with Polka because (like many others) it was there that I first experienced theater on a school trip.
“I live in Mitcham and my grandmother lives in South Wimbledon, so this amazing magic factory is on our doorstep.
“We come in all the time just to walk around the gift shop and look at the cool stuff.
“I wrote an article about a play I went to there when I was 14, and my social worker would take me there on a day trip. It was actually a little daunting — it was like playing for a football team at their home stadium. The team performance is the same!”
Polka will also tour 12 schools in south London between March 20 and 28 as part of a new pilot scheme.
The scheme hopes to provide accessible theater for school children in the area at a time of increasing pressure on school budgets.
Open six days a week, 50 weeks a year, the Polka Theater is one of the UK’s few dedicated children’s venues, with more than 21,000 children attending its shows last year.
Tickets are on sale now via https://polkatheatre.com/ or call 020 8543 4888
Above: Kay Shaw and Kate Donage play Romeo and Juliet at the Polka Theater (Photo: Steve Gregson)
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